Portable crane.



T. W. SHELTON.

PORTABLE CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24. l9l5.

15161 25., Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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COLUMBM' PLANOGRAPH 430.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

T. W. SHELTON.

PORTABLE CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED mum. m5.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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IZOLUMBIAYPLANDURAPH CO" WASHINGTON. D- C.

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THOMAS W. SHELTON, OF URBANA, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE CRANE.

Application filed April 24, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. SHELTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Urbana, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Cranes, of which the following is a specification.

The crane which is the subject matter of the present application for patent is designed more particularly for railway construction work, it being carried by a car or truck which can be coupled to a car or train of cars and thus transported over the track to and from the place of work.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple, strong and easily operated crane of the character stated, and to this end it consists in a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. 7

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4; is a cross section on the line H of Fig. 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes the platform of a truck having bearings 11 at its ends for the aXle 12 of the wheels 13. The truck carries a crane, and the latter is therefore portable. The crane is designed primarily for railroad construction work, such as track laying, repairing, etc. The wheels 13 are ordinary flanged car wheels, and the gage of the truck is such that it may be mounted for travel on a standard gage railway track. The platform 10 is a solid casting of sufficient weight to sustain the load to be handled by the crane. 7

On the platform 10 is mounted a stationary hollow pedestal 14 in which the mast 15 of the crane is rotatably supported. The pedestal has a base flange 16 whereby it is firmly bolted to the platform. Brackets 17 are bolted to the pedestal, said bracket supporting platform 17. Above this platform, a crab 18 is mounted on the mast 15 by means of straps 19 bolted thereto. The crab is operated from the platform, and its hoisting cable 20 passes over a pulley 21 mounted at the top of the mast, and thence to a pulley 22 located at the outer end of a jib 23 carried by the mast, from which latter pulley the cable extends downward and supports a cross bar 24 carrying grab-hooks Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 23,602.

25 at its ends for attachment to the rails or other loads to be hoisted. The jib is supported by braces 26, 27 and'28.

A standard automatic draw bar and coupler 29 is attached to the pedestal 14, below the platform 17*, by means of a strap 30. A rope 31 is attached to the outer end of the b 23 for swinging the same wherever desired.

The crane can be used for loading, unloading or transferring any material a distance corresponding to the radius of the circle in which the jib 23 swings, and the automatic draw bar and coupler enables the truck or car to be coupled to a car or train of cars and transported to and from any point over the track. The crane can easily handle a 33 foot or shorter rail from a gondola or fiat car and lay the same in place on the ties, and the crane can also be employed in setting or handling poles and other material used in electric railway construction Work. By connecting the draw bar and coupler to the pedestal, the truck can be built low, and as the platform is above the draw bar and coupler, the latter does not interfere with the persons standing on the platform and operating the crab. Y

I claim 1. A portable crane comprising a wheeled truck, a hollow pedestal mounted on the truck, a crane mast rotatably mounted in the pedestal, hoisting devices carried by the crane mast, and a draw bar and coupler directly connected to the pedestal.

2. A portable crane comprising a wheeled truck, a pedestal mounted on the truck, a crane mast supported by the pedestal, hoisting devices carried by the crane mast, and a draw bar and coupler directly connected to the pedestal.

3. A portable crane comprising a wheeled truck, a pedestal mounted on the truck, a crane mast supported by the pedestal, hoisting devices carried by the crane mast, a draw bar and coupler connected to the pedestal, and platformsupporting brackets mounted on the pedestal above the draw bar and coupler.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS "W. SHELTON.

Witnesses:

G. H. BAKER, CHAS. F. BONGART.-

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

